Executive Director

El Centro de Amistad; San Fernando (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Vision insurance

Dental

Long-term disability

AD&D

Life insurance

Vacation

Sick leave

Paid holidays

Jury duty

Bereavement

401K matching

Job summary

El Centro de Amistad in the San Fernando Valley seeks an experienced Executive Director to lead strategic planning, program quality, and financial stewardship. You will report to the Board, advance a new strategic plan, and build strong ties with staff, funders, public agencies, and community partners.

The role requires on-site leadership across locations, active fundraising, risk management, and a commitment to culturally responsive behavioral health services for Latino and underserved

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, business administration, public administration, behavioral health, social work, psychology, public health, or related field.
• At least seven years of progressively responsible senior management or executive leadership experience.
• Experience supervising staff and managing multiple organizational functions.
• Must clear HIPAA certification, Department of Justice, and TB clearance.
• Must have reliable transportation, a valid California driver's license, and current automobile insurance; travel among ECDA locations.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic planning and organizational management with the Board and senior leadership.
• Oversee program quality, financial performance, compliance, and risk management.
• Advance fundraising, revenue diversification, and community partnerships.
• Ensure operational systems, HR, technology, and facilities support all programs.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Board governance & fundraising

Financial oversight

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management or related field

Master’s degree (preferred)

Job description

El Centro de Amistad (ECDA) is a community-based behavioral health organization serving children, adults, and families throughout the San Fernando Valley. ECDA is committed to providing accessible, culturally responsive services to Latino, immigrant, low-income, and other historically underserved communities.

Position Opportunity Summary

El Centro de Amistad seeks an experienced and mission-driven Executive Director to provide strategic, operational, financial, and organizational leadership.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director serves as ECDA’s chief executive officer and is responsible for advancing the organization’s mission, implementing its new strategic plan, ensuring the quality and sustainability of its programs, and supporting a strong and effective staff.

The successful candidate will be a visible, accessible, and accountable leader who develops strong relationships with staff, the Board, public agencies, funders, and community partners.

Key Role and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Organizational Management

• Partner with the Board and senior leadership team to implement ECDA’s strategic plan, establish organizational priorities, and ensure long-term sustainability.
• Identify emerging community needs, organizational risks, funding opportunities, and opportunities for responsible growth.
• Lead organizational planning, change management, and continuous improvement while fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, transparency, and inclusion.
• Establish clear organizational performance measures and regularly report financial, program, compliance, and strategic plan progress to the Board.

Program, Financial, and Operational Excellence

• In partnership with qualified clinical leadership, ensure the delivery of high-quality, culturally responsive behavioral health services through effective oversight of clinical operations, program performance, service quality, and client outcomes.
• Provide executive oversight of ECDA’s approximately $11 million annual operating budget, financial planning, internal controls, financial performance, and stewardship of resources. Oversee cash-flow management, audits, billing and reimbursements.
• Promote effective coordination and consistent practices across ECDA’s programs and locations.
• Ensure that ECDA has effective human resources, technology, facilities, and administrative systems to support all programs, staff and long-term sustainability.

Contracts, Compliance, and Risk

• Ensure compliance with government contracts, Medi-Cal requirements, licensing standards, grant conditions, and applicable laws and regulations.
• Oversee contract deliverables, billing, reimbursement, documentation, and reporting.
• Work with clinical, financial, compliance, and program leaders to identify and address organizational risks.
• Maintain effective relationships with public agencies, funders, regulators, and referral partners.

Leadership and Community Engagement

• Recruit, develop, support, and evaluate the senior leadership team while strengthening organizational culture, staff development, succession planning, and employee engagement.
• Partner closely with the Board to support governance, fundraising, and strategic decision-making.
• Serve as ECDA’s primary ambassador, building strong relationships with donors, funders, public agencies, community organizations, and other stakeholders to advance the organization’s mission and impact.
• Lead ECDA’s fundraising and revenue-diversification efforts.

Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will be a collaborative and strategic executive with experience leading complex nonprofit, behavioral health, healthcare, or human services organizations. They will possess the judgement to delegate and utilize the expertise of their staff and Board while overseeing diverse functional areas. They will be able to ask thoughtful questions, make informed decisions, and empower a strong leadership team while maintaining accountability for organizational performance.

This is an on-site position that requires regular travel among ECDA’s locations throughout the San Fernando Valley and a visible presence at community and partner meetings.

Ideal candidates will demonstrate:

• Senior executive leadership experience in a nonprofit, behavioral health, healthcare, social services, or related organization.
• Knowledge of behavioral health services, government funding, contracts, grants, and regulatory requirements.
• Experience overseeing organizational strategy, operations, financial management, compliance, and program performance.
• Success partnering with a nonprofit Board of Directors and leading organizational growth and change.
• Ability to build productive relationships with staff, clients, public agencies, funders, and community partners.
• A commitment to serving culturally diverse communities, including Latino, immigrant, and low-income populations.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, and public leadership skills.
• Emotional intelligence, integrity, sound judgment, resilience, and a leadership style that balances collaboration with accountability.

Qualifications and Education Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, business administration, public administration, behavioral health, social work, psychology, public health, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant executive experience.
• At least seven years of progressively responsible senior management or executive leadership experience.
• Experience supervising staff and managing multiple organizational functions.
• Must clear HIPAA certification, Department of Justice, and TB clearance.
• Must have reliable transportation, a valid California driver's license, and current automobile insurance. Must have the ability to travel among ECDA locations and community meetings. Employees who use a personal vehicle for work-related purposes are responsible for maintaining required insurance coverage and assume all liability associated with the operation of their vehicle.

Preferred:

• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Public Health, or a related field.
• Executive experience in a behavioral health or community-based service organization.
• Experience with Los Angeles County behavioral health systems, Medi-Cal, and/or public contracts.
• Knowledge of the San Fernando Valley and the communities ECDA serves.
• Professional fluency in English and Spanish is strongly preferred.
• Experience leading an organization through growth, transition, restructuring, or strategic change.
• Experience with fundraising, grants, public funding, and revenue diversification.

Comment

Candidates must be able to work effectively with their team and Manager, demonstrate adaptability, and accomplish program goals and objectives. Candidates should demonstrate empathy, courtesy, interest, and a willingness to adhere to safety rules and to computer, email, Internet, and dress code policies.

• (If eligible) health insurance
• vision
• dental
• long-term disability
• AD&D
• life insurance
• vacation
• sick leave
• paid holidays
• jury duty
• bereavement
• 401K matching

All employees must demonstrate an understanding, patient, and receptive attitude toward individuals of varied age groups, behaviors, and disabilities. Employees must be able to maintain composure under stressful conditions. Staff must be able and willing to work with clients who have special needs and/or aggressive behaviors (i.e., biting, kicking, hitting, emotional outbursts, etc.). Staff must have behavior management strategies and techniques for clients experiencing behavioral difficulties, positive behavioral interventions, and applied behavior analysis.

El Centro de Amistad provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, El Centro de Amistad complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment at every company location. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.